Meet Colin Mitchell | 3D Environment Artist at Infinity Ward

We had the good fortune of connecting with Colin Mitchell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Colin, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am originally from St. Louis, Missouri, but the majority of my upbringing took place in Massachusetts in a town called Natick, right outside of Boston.

As a kid I had an obsession with technology and art. I would spend time after school taking apart computers or attending drawing classes with my friends. I am honestly grateful for my town’s education system and the diverse range of classes they offered because it allowed me to select a course that was more tailored to a specific path and industry rather than a general education.

My high school offered an entry level course on game development and 3D modeling which I mainly consider my gateway into my passion and profession. This course sparked my interest because it was a combination of technology and art, two things I had a huge interest in and considered my main hobbies.

From there fell in love with 3D modeling and I took extra time at home watching YouTube tutorials and reading documentation on these programs and tools. If I wasn’t in class or at home practicing and learning, I was working on something 3D related in my free blocks or in between classes.

Going from there I knew I wanted to continue to 3D model so I initially applied and was accepted for computer animation at Ringling College of Art and Design. It wasn’t until the end of freshman year that I made the switch to their Game Art major to focus on games rather than film. College was important because prior to that I knew the technical side of these programs and had the creativity for it but that was it. Ringling helped teach me about the importance of the creative process and problem solving, all while continuing to refine my skills as an artist. All of these factors lead to where I am today and my job in the game industry!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Of course! I think what sets me apart from others is I’ve always known what job I wanted to do and the industry I wanted work in. I’m extremely fortunate for that. I know a lot of people who had a tough time initially finding their passion and some that are still not sure. I’m very grateful for that.

I would say what I’m currently most excited about is my new job. The team at Infinity Ward are some of the most talented artists in the industry and I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can from them and continuing to improve all while producing some amazing looking content.

As I touched on previously, having a 3D modeling course in my high school really helped me figure out what I wanted to do at an early age. While I am fortunate for this, it definitely wasn’t easy to get to where I am today. College was a time where the skills I started to develop in high school were really brought to the grind stone and refined. Refining any skill is a challenge in itself and my solution to overcoming this was by being open to and welcoming feedback and approaching the creative process with an open mind. I learned to trust in the process and that trying a new method or approach isn’t going to yield amazing results the first time. It’s taking comfort in the fact that if you keep trying at a specific piece or scene, eventually it’s going to click and you will be a better artist for it.

The one thing that I want the world to know about me and my story is that I wasn’t initially good or had an eye for 3D art. It took many years of learning and practice to get to where I am now and I have still barely scratched the surface. There is always room for improvement, learning, and trying new things and as long as I’m creating art, I’m making conscious strides in that direction.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would say either Topanga or the more touristy spots of Hollywood. Topanga is amazing when it comes to sheer natural scenery. My favorite thing to do is take a drive through the mountains all the way to State Route One. The views are spectacular and a big testament to the geographical beauty of LA and California in general. There are also the big tourist attractions such as the Hollywood sign, Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Griffith Observatory. When I first moved here, those were the first places I visited, and I feel like most people visiting LA want to see those things as well.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This is a tough one! So many people have supported me and helped me improve along the way. The first person that comes to mind is my college professor Ryland. He was extremely critical in his thinking as well as grading and was very blunt about each student’s quality of work. While initially this sounds daunting, he always made a point of how you could improve your work and helped push students to succeed. His tough but fair attitude and eye for detail helped train and push me to be the artist I am today. Aside from my professor, I’d also say my family. They were there supporting my artistic endeavors from the beginning and I wouldn’t be where I am without their support.

Website: https://www.artstation.com/cmitche1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmitchell3d/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-mitchell-307b29174